New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-17
NOTES ON BOOKS.
UNIQUE. UNCUT, ALMOST UNIQUE. AND
SCARCE BOOKS.

Ia
LONDON. Doc. 80.
The collector has comfortable theory that tho
treasure no wants Is sure to turn mp sooner or
later II only no have tho patienc" to wait for it.
This with proper limitations. Is sound doctrine
Thero are enthusiasts who maintain that tho
world will so-uc day be dazzed by tho sight OF
First Folio Shakespeare in an uncut state. Mean
tiwe l find on fresh booksellers catalogue t~o
rather striking illustrations of this article of faith
for after ALL it is matter of faith rather than Of
dogma. Hero 10 the first entry:
UNIQUE BOOK.
FIELDING Henry The History Of Tom Jones.
Founding. FIRST EDITION. q vols: small Svo
FINE Cory, original half binding UNCUT, Esq TO-
Excessively rars II not abo,utely unique; certainly
uueut copy has been offered for se for tho last twenty
years; and far are able to trace, thu Is the Only
uncut copy Ia existence.
The rarity of uncut copies of hooks of this period
is duo to tho fact that of many books tho wholc
edition was issued In cut state; edges cut al
round and book coarsely bound up. This baroarone
practice hath prevailed in the United STATES OF
America. and doth still prevail. am told, IN the
remoter parts of the Union Whether this bo"k-
seller's account be true In respect of Tom Jones'
cannot say. There are few printed statements In
any sale catalogue bearing London imprint which
tho buyer may safely accept without some private
inquiry on his own behalf. am no longer buyer
but the sceptical habit Of mind due to former
dealings with second hand book sellers abides with
me. But cbeerfully testify that never saw or
heard of an uncut copy Of this particular book till
/ read Of this one; which have not seen.
sWhat docs it matter Whistler 1t DO cut or
uncutf'
The dweller In outer darkness who puts this
question had best be referred again to tie cata-
logue. He will find an entry of the same hook
same edition. original calf, for just Gao Is less
than the uncut copy. To put it in American
currency. he must pay $3.50 for the uncut copy II
be content himself with shOrn margins he can
have them for $13 rs. A good deal Of money for
few strips of dirty white paper. answers the
Philistine, in his gruf way.
Them as blessings. like misrortunes, come never
sngly, here is another extract from the same
catalogue:
UNIQUE BOOK.
GOLDSMITH tOliverl The Vicar of Wakefield,
Tale, FIRST EDITION. vols, post Svo. VERY FINE
sides and back. top edge gilt, UNCUT in the style
Of Roger Payne by +. Bedford f75 Salisbury,
1896
This like "Tom JONES'" is doubtless unique in an
uncut state. We unable to trace even the mon
ton Of any like copy. 1t has been bound by Mcssrs
Bedford from the original boarls and Is superb copy
Why, in the name OF all that is photographed
the owner of this book should have chosen TO bind
il, he must be left TO explain. Probably he, being
bookseller would tell you that IL sells better in
modern red morocco than in It's original and purer
state. lie would turn deaf ear if you answered
him that il was worth moro unbound and that
with the top edge gilt it ceases strictly speaking.
to be uncut More and more exactng in snch
particulars does the collector grow, l mean the
true collector he who collects for the sake of
collecting; who hath regard unto his own taste
and pleasure and not unto the vang'ory of public
fame or the private and always grudging) appro-
baton of other ana rival collectors The last copy
of the first edition of the Vicar of Wakefield which
/ saw was priced $50; and there again is measure
of the difference between n cut and uncut
copy. But q copy of an old book protesting 10 he
uncut which Is nevertheless in modern binding
will be scrutinized much more closely by the
iudicious buyer than if it had undergone no
mutilation OF manipulation The late Mr. Bedford
used to show me books when he himself had bound
and which the unwary might we'll enough take for
uncut COPIES BY pretty little tricks of uneven
folding of the leaves. and by shortening some to
MAKE the others look larger. and by some delicate
of the edges, and by | know not
what other Devices the book which Las been
pcughed by the binders shears may be made to
look as if still in its original state have known
edges TO be slightly mcstcned and nibbled TO give
them the required look of rvugbness. And fear
these nefarious practices are not less common but
more common tna1 OIL OH. tGrtdt c1np0r.
From another catalogue l discover that book
may be not ONLY unique bnt almost unique"
This approaches. but not very near the celebrated
description only two copie. in existence, both
unique" Almost" unique means that the book
In question is one of six. 1t i. nothing less than
the volume on wl..:cn friend Mr.. Geurgo Angus
..as caIa writes every now and then leading
article in the paper which courageousy describes
itself as having tho largest circulation in the
world. The entry is: "GLASSE, Mrs. The Art Of
Cookery, made Plain and Easy; which far exceeds
anything OF the Kind ever yet Published FIRST
EDITION, folio. very fine copy. half calf, G25
London, printed for the Author and sold at Mrs
Ashb,rns. china shop, the of Fleet Ditch
1747." cOnfessft is a disappointment to me, an
/ fear will be mucb greater one to Mr.. Sala, to
see this priced at f25 Onv-$125. He recently
expressed, in the newspaper which has not the
largest circulation in the world, his conviction that
tho book of which he owns a copy, is worth f1OO,
or $500.
Mr. Robert Browning is one of those authors
whose books becoming objects of interest to tho
collector. His earlier Ones have loug been scarce
and DEAR most Of all the shilling double cOlunnod
pamphlet of " Bells and Pom-granatcs," now
quoted at something like fifty times its first price.
Or say $25. But some of the newer poems are also
rising in price. TIE Two Albums" 1878. is quoted
1t 81 25; Rcd Cotton Night Cap Country" 1875.
DC Sc. Mr.. Browning has minated, says the
cautious catalOguer. that these will not be
reprinted SO he lsbes each with joy. and in small
caps, FIRST AND ONLY EDITION. Like all the rest
these are published at 81 % (which means ST. o
volume. The first editions of "Pacchiarotto," of
= Balaustion's Adventure" of Fifine at the FAIR"
and of some others are double and treble the
publication price.
The market for Tonnysons. on the other hand, is
stall o falling market. "In Memoriam,"' which
has fetched rs mnch as $40 in its first state, may
now he had for one third that sum. In this case
The fall 10 due partly to the forged title page by
aid of which sOme copies of the second and other
editions wcie palmed on purchasers as tho first.
But it never was really very scarce book; the